Part 37: Update 33
Update 33If you remember last time, Raine found her mother. So now we get the gang's perspective on all this.
Skit #100: The Eternal Obsession
: She may have acted that way in order to hide her true feelings.
: I feel sorry for her.
: But from now on, Raine will be --
: Aaaaaah!
: Zelos! How dare you break that valuable Balacruf Dynasty vase! I won't forgive you this time!: Please, Professor Raine! I'll be happy to buy you as many vases as you -- Aaaaah!: Humph.
: ...exactly the same...: So it seems.: *Sigh*
Dungeon Video! This is the "other" candidate for the worst dungeon in the game. There's a lot of faffing about but it's about as tight as I could get it. After playing through it twice (damn this machine and its melty ports) I couldn't bring myself to watch the video to determine if I'd paused .7 seconds too long somewhere. Party used is Presea (Me) in Formal Costume, Genis in Swimsuit, Raine in Formal, and Regal in Formal. I sub in Zelos in special for a fight that demands elemental damage.
Anyway this dungeon's gimmick is plants that blow you around when you use the Sorcerer's ring to form a bubble. There are several problems with this, mostly:
A) backtracking to revive and/or deflate plants using fruit. Oh and by the way plants other than the one you launch from can affect your course; some of which are on different screens; I think some are even four screens back; doing this by trial and error would be enormously painful
and
B) you can mistime/misposition the bubble, causing you to sit there while wind blows over/past you that really looks like it should have carried you over.
In conclusion, this dungeon sucks balls. I have no idea what they could have done to improve it.
: ...What's that flower?
: It's big and pretty.: It's big...but it ain't pretty.
: Hey, Lloyd, there's one over there, too.: But...it looks different.
: You're right. It looks like it's blowing out air. And the color is different from this one.: Raine, what is it?
: ...I've read about this in a book before. There's a plant which, when you provide it with food, begins blowing air.
: When we came here we could fly. Sucks to be you guys. I mean, Colette could go on ahead but it's not such a good idea here.
: That's our Raine! I'm falling in love with you all over again. ?: The flower over there is blowing air. So their food is present in this valley?: Yes, that would make sense.: Um, Professor? Is it just me, or have you been ignoring my words of love lately?: If so, then these flowers may be useful for something.: Yes, I agree.: Presea, not you, too!: Sheesh, Zelos, will you just shut up? We're gonna leave you behind!: They don't like Zelos, do they?
We get the Devil's Arm Diablos.
Miniboss video! 
We fight the Fake. Fakes take virtually no damage from physical attacks (only certain portions of a few specials even give you a damage readout) and vastly reduced damage from all elements. So basically they take forever to die. Note here that All my characters have buff icons, this is due to the ultimate food, Paella. It buffs everything, although only until the end of the next battle. Unfortunately it requires Purple Satay, which we don't have very much of (with the Rheairds I could get to a place that sells it though - it's rather an out of the way place).
Along the way, we drop a boulder into the river to split the waterfall. How? STANDING ON IT THAT'S HOW!
: Oh, you must be the Storyteller. Can you give us some Mana Leaf Herb.: Please.
: I see you've brought proof from the Elder. I'd like to say just take what you need, but...
: Is there a problem?: It's in a somewhat difficult place. I don't know if you'll be able to go get it.: We've made it all the way up this mountain. We'll get it no matter where it is. We'll just send Lloyd.: ...Hey!: Please, tell us where it is.: Hmm...all right. Follow me.
: Be careful.: Okay! Let's go, guys!
: Ah, I see...You can't enter it without splitting the waterfall.: It certainly is in a difficult place...: But the waterfall split in two, so we don't need to worry about it.
: Ah-ha! So that's the plant.: That's pretty distinctive.: You're saved, Colette!: Yeah...Thanks, Lloyd!: Wh...what the?: There's something here!
: It's guarding it?
Obligatory giant plant boss battle! Youtube Backup.
Plantix has a good bit of HP but doesn't have the attacks to back it up. It doesn't have any allies either.
Genis hits overlimit (apparently allies getting killed increases tension as well, I've seen it happen a lot) and fires off Indignation Judgement. Even though it's not targeting a weakness it still deals around 6k to the poor bastard. It's a good thing there aren't any bosses that can do that to us
shut up
Honestly you'd expect a plant with a T-Rex skeleton inside it to be totally
but no.
This is the only named attack I can recall, it sends out a swarm of beetles that function as projectiles. If there are any I missed, it's because this boss is lame and boring. The only really difficult part is that he's hard to hit with Unison Attacks if you're too close
. Even though he has wings, he's still a plant and to my knowledge immobile. He's got ranged attacks but they're not too bad.
Skit #155: There She Goes!
: Whoa. It's been a while since she's done that.
: Yes! It has been a while since this herb has been seen in this world. To trace its history, we must first travel back to the events of the Olfe Uprising of 130 years ago....
: Oh, my, it's been a while since we've heard a lesson from the Professor!
: How can you be so carefree about this?! Regal, quick, stop the Professor before it's too late!: Don't interfere, Regal. I was about to explain the historical significance of the Olfe Uprising.
: The Olfe Uprising? That was an important event in modern Tethe'allan history. Please continue.
: Whoa, I don't want to study!: That thing was pretty tough.: No, it wasn't.: So this was the real reason it's in a "difficult place.": Oh well, we got the plant, so it's all good.: Indeed.
: You knew about the giant plant guarding the Mana Leaf Herb, didn't you?: Yes, but even if I had told you, your actions would not have changed. I felt a very strong will from you.: Of course. It's for our very important friend.: ...Lloyd.: By the way...have you lived here for long?: Yes. I am the one who passes on the lore of the elven village to the next generation. Here I weave various stories into the mana leaf cloth.: What kinds of stories?: Legends of elves descending from the sky, and the birth of humans... The rise and fall of the Balacruf Dynasty. The arrival of angels. The Giant Kharlan Tree, the Kharlan War
: Hey, hey, hey! I thought the hero, Mithos was taboo in Heimdall!: This is not Heimdall. I live here to pass on the legends without being bound by the customs of Heimdall.: Wow, a sort of worthwhile elf. No, bad Martel. Mustn't let my prejudice do the talking.: Just who was the hero, Mithos? We hear his name everywhere we go.: His name came up in the pacts with the Summon Spirits.: The legend of Mithos was involved in curing Colette's illness, too.: Mithos was...born in Heimdall. He as an outside who was cast out of the village when the Kharlan War began. He ended the Kharlan War with his three companions so that he could return to the village.: ...An outsider? Does that mean...he was a half-elf?: Mithos was a half-elf?! That's impossible!: Yes, Mithos was a half-elf. Only one of his companions was human, and the others were half-elves. They were treated as outcasts, but overcame that and put an end to the war.: ...Then why is his name taboo in Heimdall?
: It's because he's a half-elf.: ...No, that's incorrect. It is because the hero, Mithos, loved by Origin, is also a fallen hero.: A fallen hero? What do you mean?: The ones who betrayed Origin and used the power of the magic sword given by Origin to split the world in two, were none other than Mithos and his companions.: It was a good idea at the time. You have no right to judge that. If you wanted to talk about the Desians, or other things he's done, sure, but splitting the world was a really good idea at that time.
: The four angels changed the nature of the world, and that is why their names are taboo in Heimdall.
: And his companions were Martel, Yuan, and Kratos? That's impossible!: Kratos is...the friend of a hero from 4,000 years ago?: Even an elf cannot live that long.: Angels can use special combat abilities developed during the Kharlan War. One ability uses the body's mana to alter its metabolism and stop the body's internal clock. This allows them to stop aging and become capable of living longer than elves...
: I'm totally confused. None of this makes any sense.: Really? There's at least one thing we know for certain. The power of Origin is involved in the splitting of the world. And the magic sword...that's the key.: Exactly. We must be careful not to lose sight of the true problem. Our final goal is to save the two worlds.: Yeah. We couldn't control the Giant Kharlan Tree, but if we can return the worlds to their true form...: At the very least, we can reform this system that vies for mana.: ...Yeah. You're right.: It's a waste of time to think when you have no good ideas.
: ...You guys are mean.: Let's go on to our next destination.: Thank you very much for telling us the story.: ...May the Giant Kharlan Tree protect you.: It couldn't even protect itself.Anyway now the conclusion of an important sidequest unlocks. Or rather it should, but Tales Studio is fucking me.
Remember how when we went to Hima to go to the Tower of Salvation Yuan tried to kill Kratos but got stabbed instead (thanks to Lloyd) and dropped a ring? Remember how we found Yuan in Hima for no apparent reason shortly before Disk 2? There's a sidequest to give him his ring back. The catch is that the timing in which you can complete step 2 apparently really sucks, since I can't do it now. I didn't realize it goes away after the end of Disk 1 but apparently Yuan stops searching for his most important posession due to Namco Tales Studio being total dicks about sidequest design. This is just one of many examples of them creating sidequests where if you don't haul your ass to some obscure area at the right time you miss something permanently. Since this is sort of important to understanding Yuan's motivation and I already did the first part I'll post it even though I didn't do it properly on this run through. It doesn't affect later cut scenes or the ending or anything so you'd never know if I hadn't posted about it. Anyway for step 2 you need to go to the top of Mt Fooji, which we have no real reason to do and is a fairly long linear path filled with admittedly trivial random encounters.
By the way, sometimes Presea's weapon will turn into a stuffed rabbit when she's wearing the Formal costume. Yeah, she's going to murder dudes with a stuffed rabbit.
Yeah cover your face in shame Zombie, you got owned with a stuffed toy by a girl half your height.
Is there a more satisfying humiliation kill?
: ...That's my line.: Um...: What?!: If you're looking for something, would you like us to help you?: No!: Yuan you moron, they have it.: What's up with you? Fine. Just ignore him, Colette.: But it's something important, isn't it?: Shut up!: What should we look for? Is it a flower? An animal?: Why would I be searching for something like---: Oh, maybe!...: Wh...what?...: You're looking for a four-leaf clover!
: ....: Stop joking around! It's a ring! I'm just looking for a ring!: Hmmm. A ring, huh...: E...enough!: Don't run off you idiot! He was about to give it to you!: I wonder if that's what he was looking for in Hima....: Speaking of Hima, I found a ring in Hima. It had some complicated looking letters on it.: Let me see it. These are ancient elven letters....Let's see...swear true love...Mar... The rest is worn out and I can't read it. But it's an engagement ring.: Do you think this is the ring that Yuan was looking for?: Oh...so it wasn't a four-leaf clover....: I'm having second thoughts about inhabiting your body. It might cause me to suddenly lose 80 IQ points or something.: Hey, why did you think he was looking for something like that?: What? Well, I thought maybe he wanted to be happy.: He does. But he won't let it come first.: I see!: ...I can never follow you two!We return to the Human Ranch ruins where we joined forces with Yuan before assaulting Rodyle's Human Ranch.
: Its not here either... I'm sorry, Martel...: There he is again. I think he is retracing his steps across... the places he has been.: Yeah.They walk over to Yuan.
: Is this what you're looking for?: Wh...where did you!...: Hima.: ... So then it was the time when Kratos...: So it was you who was attacking Kratos!: Give that ring back to me!: You don't know how to talk, do you? Is that the attitude you show when asking someone for something?: ...The ring is very important to me. Please give it back. I beg of you.: Yuan...: ...Well, okay...We give him the ring.
: Thank you.: You were one of Mithos the Hero's companions, right? So you traveled... with Kratos and Martel?: How do you know that?: We heard it from the Elven Storyteller.: It is true that I traveled with Mithos and the others. I would have never imagined this future back then... I am sure Martel is saddened as well.: I'm sorry Yuan. It's all my fault.: Are you and Martel...: ...Thank you for returning my ring. Farewell.Yuan leaves.
: What about Yuan and Martel?: Lloyd, you're really dense, you know that?: They were in love, maybe even married.: What?! Then, Yuan chose the Great Tree over bringing his own girlfriend back to life?: So it would seem. And Mithos chose the opposite path.: Having to lose the one you love is the same as having your own body torn apart.: I wish there was something I could do for Yuan. Maybe soon, but it all depends.
: I see.... Yuan must have his own share of troubles.: ...Lloyd, you're more carefree than I thought.: But why did Yuan try to kill Kratos?: Because he had to stop the journey of regeneration.: Then wouldn't he try to kill me?: I wonder if there is some discord between the Renegades and Kratos.: What am I saying? I should be mad at him for that dumb plan... no, I can't stay mad at my cute little idiot.Let's talk about Yuan for a second. He's either the worst-off or the second-worst-off of the Four Seraphim (who, if you haven't figured it out, are the name applied to Mithos and his friends). Poor dude's spent 4,000 years plotting to finish off his true love for the sake of the world. All the bitterness you'd expect from doing that has warped him into being an abrasive jerk who keeps all his grief buried deep inside. Yuan didn't mourn Botta because he's mourned-out. He's probably known Botta a few hundred years at most, the grief he'd feel over him is a drop in the ocean of what he feels about the whole Martel deal.
Yuan needs a hug
